Heney pake



MW HN...M$'. mam 2 M V i. d. W .w w. A N M %P z 1 J E I M Aw v Pr. 6 l||\l I, III m. Hm 1 W 2 J I I a Q L o .7 w 7 w J j, m M NJ. 4

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY FAKE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF FOUR-FIFTHS TO ELMIRA FAKE, WARRENS. FAKE, GEORGIANA FAKE, AND JOSEPHINE E. FAKE FLEETWOOD, ALL OF SAME PLACE, ONE-FIFTH TO EACH.

WATER-WHEEL.

SPEGIFIQ'ATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,820, dated May 3,1881;

Application filed December 27, 1880. (ModeL) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY FAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Current and Tide-Water Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to improvements upon my current and tide-wa- [O ter wheel patented November 16, 1880, No.

234,396 and the main objects of myimprovements are, first, the strengthening of the main rim of the wheel and the fastening of the braces, so as to increase their efficiency and to I 5 admit of the adjustment of the wheel whenever the same varies from a horizontal position; second, the making of the bucketsor blades concave, so as to exert greater power from the same volume of water; third, having that por tion of the buckets extending above the radial ,main rim of the wheel; B and G, two sections of the wheel.

arms and the weights that act upon the same of such a construction as not to resist the current of the stream, and to admit of the working of the wheel when submerged; fourth, so 2 5 constructing the water-way or race that the current will move in the same direction as the motion of the wheel, thus causing the force of the water to strike the buckets or-blades very nearly direct, and not at a considerable angle, the direct action of the current greatly increas ing the power of the wheel; fifth, the placing of a wedge-shaped structure in the waterway or race at a suitable distance from the wheel, so as to separate the current and cause 3 5 it to pass along the sides of the race, thus increasing both the volume and velocity of the water at its most direct points of contact with the buckets, and causing the water to strike the buckets at the point where its utmost force will be utilized; sixth, the use of pulleys in the place of guide-eyes and chains in the place of cords, as a ipart of the mechanism by which I operate the bucket-weights, as the guideeyes mentioned in my former patent cause too much friction, whilecords do not have the required degree of strength and durability, and wire rope is-,not sufficiently pliable to admit of afree action of the weights. The foregoing improvements add to the strength of my im- 5 proved current and tide-water wheel and restructure constructed therein.

salt in greater efficiency in its operation in slight currents, my wheel being the only one to my knowledge which is so constructed as to prevent any waste of water, the buckets being so fitted to the water-way that the water cannot escape without coming in contact therewith. I attain these objectsby the improved mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is an elevation with the water-way in cross-sections. Fig. 2 is an elevation with the water-way and the bearings. for the wheel in cross-section, and all but one of the paddles and weights removed. Fig. 3 shows the race or water-way, together with the wedge-shaped 6 Fig. 4 is perspective view of one of the buckets.

Similar letters refer to similar parts through- ,out the several views.

On the drawings, A indicates the outer or 0 B indicates one of the supporting-sections; D, a secondary rim or band; E, a circular plate or small hub; F, the shaft; G, the hub; H, the radial arms of the wheel; I, braces or supports; J, the nuts which secure the braces; a, chains for operating the bucketweights; 1), pulleys through which the chains pass; 0,,a link-rod or chain for operating the adjusting-chains; d, a swivel-coupling; c, a 8cchain leading to the Windlass; f, weights; h, buckets or blades; 9, the bolts with nuts or hands, by which the buckets are connected with the radial arms and rim of the wheel; 70, the stengthening-chains connecting the buckets to the radial arms; W, the water-way or race; X

X, the walls of the race, X being the curved wall, which shows the direction of the current where it comes in contact with the buckets or blades; Z, the wedge-shaped structureerected 0 in the middle of the race or water-way.

The device as a whole is supported by asuitable frame-work, which will vary in form, as

set forth in my former patent.

The rim of the main wheel A is made in two 5 or more sections, according to the size. These sections are mortised and tenoned where they are joined together. B and 0 indicate the two sections shown in the drawings.

For the purpose of strengthening the rim of IO the main wheel, I place upper strengtheningsections, B, these sections, forming the upper rim of the wheel, being so placed as to break joints with the sections of the lower rim of the main wheel, and are fastened by strong screws or by bolts passing through the main rim and secured by nuts on the under side.

The braces or supports I, I either attach to the circular plate or small hub E by having them so bent at the upper end as to hook into this circular plate, or by having the braces pass up through the plate and secured by nuts. I attach the lower end of the braces by passing them through the main rim of the wheel and the upper supporting-sections and securing them on the under side by the nuts J, as this method permits me to adjust the wheel in case it does not run true. The braces should pass through the rim at the several points of intersection by the radial arms, so as to answer the double purpose of supporting the wheel and holding the arms in place.

I make the secondary rim or band D of two or more sections, and secure the same to the braces by screw-staples, which pass around the braces and are fastened at the outer ends by nuts.

Any kind of chain that will work freely over pulleys can be used to operate the bucketweights, and the pulleys b can be fastened in any suitable manner to the secondary rim or band D; or they may be fastened direct to the braces. The pulleys in number want to correspond with the size of the wheel, but never less than three are to be used.

The chains a, by which I operate the weights, are connected with and operated by the linkrod or chain, which passes through an open gudgeon inserted into the upper end of the shaft F, said link-rod or chain being used in connection with the swivel-couplin g d to prevent the rotation of the wheel from twisting the chains.

I construct my improved weights f of wood, iron, or other suitable material, and make them skeleton instead of solid. I also make the upper part of the buckets or blades h skeleton, my object in both instances being to avoid as much as possible the resistance of the water, and to permit the wheel to operate when submerged by high water. These weights may be made ofany desired size or weight required to operate the buckets, and maybe pivoted to the radial arms of the wheel, or fastened by bolts passing through the arms and secured by nuts or by iron bands passing around the arms.

My improved buckets or blades I make con-- cave below the point where they are pivoted to the radial arms, so as to secure additional surface for the water to come in contact with and increased power, both from the force and weight of the water. These buckets may be constructed of wood or any suitable metal;

may be of any size or depth that the dimensions of the wheel and the power required may demand.

The lower portion of the side or outer edge of my buckets or blades is made on an angle, so as to admit of their free action when thrown out of the water by their weights; as it will be readily seen that, pivoted to or connected with the radial arms of a circular wheel, the buckets would, if the outer edge were straight, come in contact with the rim of the main wheel when thrown out of the water.

I construct the outer end of my race at such an angle at the side as to correspond with the angle of the buckets, and thus prevent the escape of a portion of the water without first flowing against the buckets.

I prefer to fasten the buckets or blades to the radial arms and main rim of the wheel by means of bolts passing through the arms and rim and held in place by nuts but it is evident that they may be fastened by bands passing around the arms, or in any other suitable manner. To prevent my improved buckets from being carried away or broken by the action of the water, I connect them by chains, from a point near the lower part, to the radial arm next in the rear of the one to which they are attached.

I construct my improved race or water-way so that the side or wall X is curved for some distance back from the point where the waterfirst comes in contact with the buckets. The curvature of the wall X should be such as to cause the current of water on that side of the race to strike the buckets in the direction of the motion of the wheel, and not at any considerable angle, thus utilizing to the utmost the force of the water.

To increase the current and volume of water at the sides of the water-way or race, I build a wed ge-shaped structure, Z, in the race at a suitable point between the gate and wheel, the pointed end of the structure being in the opposite direction from the wheel. This structure can be of timber or stone, and may be of a height to correspond with the walls of the water-way. I prefer to erect the same in the center of the race or at equal distance from the sides. The sides of this structure may be placed at any suitable angle; but -I prefer to place them at an angle of forty five degrees, and to have the structure of such width as to extend at the widest part half-way across the race, leaving at the narrowest point a channel on each side of one-quarter of the width of the race. By thus erecting this structure Idivide the water, and both turn the volume and increase the force of the current at the sides, where it most readily comes in contact with the buckets and is most available in giving power to the wheel, thus greatly increasing its efficiency both in slight currents and low water.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the main rim of the wheel A, the strengtheningsections B, and the circular plate or small hub E, connected by supports or-braces I, secured and operated bination with the arms H, rim A, and weights by the nuts J, substantially as specified. f, substantially as described.

2. The concave buckets h,havingaskeleton 5. The water-way or race W, having the 15 extension above the point where they are curved wall X, in combinationwith the Wedge- 5 hinged, in combination with the skeleton shaped guide Z, for directing the current of weight f, acting upon the bucket-extensions, water, substantially for the purpose set forth substantially as described. and described.

3. The chains a and e, the link-rod or chain c, and pulleys b, in combination with the weights Witnesses 10 f and buckets h, substantially as set forth. FREDERICK C. Goonwm,

4. The concave buckets h, strengthening- FRED. G. HALE. chains 70, and bolts with nuts or bands g, in com- I HENRY FAKE. 

